ENGLISH
REFERENCE

act responsibly

fixed phrase.
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic General-service
Definition

fixed phrase. to behave in a sensible way that shows you care about the results of your actions.

fixed phrase. to conduct oneself in a manner that demonstrates accountability and sound judgment. This collocation is frequently used in corporate, environmental, or social contexts to describe ethical behavior.


SIMPLE

We expect all our employees to act responsibly.

CONTEXTUAL

If you want to borrow the car, you must promise to act responsibly and follow the speed limit.

COMPLEX

The committee urged the corporation to act responsibly by disclosing its carbon emissions and investing in renewable energy sources.

Usage

often used in the imperative or as an expectation set by an authority figure.

Teaching tip

this is a high-frequency collocation; use it to teach the adverbial modification of verbs in professional or civic contexts.

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